12. Go up to Tools > Array. This opens our Array window. First, press the Preview button so we can see in our viewport the results of what we will do. Then find the Z Rotate parameter and enter 30, then enter 6 for the amount of 1-dimensional copies and hit OK (Fig.16).

Fig. 16

Bouncing back to the Perspective view, this is what we now have (Fig.17).

Fig. 17

I really hope you can understand the power of what we just did!

I will get more into the Array tool at a later time; for now I recommend playing around with each setting to see what you can create.

Anyway, back to what we were doing...

13. This step, I'm going to let you figure out what I did - don't worry, it's nothing new, I just need to see if you are capable of figuring it out (Fig.18).

Fig. 18

Are you still with me? Not too hard, right? Just copy one of the cylinders that would make for the easiest adjustment in order to get this new cylinder into the above position, and make the correct changes to the parameters.

14. Now I want you to make another copy, but I want you to move it up just a little, like so, but this time when the window pops up, find the Number of Copies option and enter 6 (Fig.19).

Fig. 19

When you hit OK this is what you will have (Fig.20).

Fig. 20

So what happened? When you make a copy by moving or rotating - or scaling for that matter - and you increase the number of copies, Max will take the percentage of the offset that you made and apply that same percentage to each additional copy.

It is a great thing to know!

Okay, before moving on, let's colour this thing a little bit. Feel free to come up with your own colour schemes. If you're not sure how to change the colours just change the colour in this swatch (Fig.21).

Fig. 21

Keep in mind that we have not changed the colour of the material applied to these objects; in fact, we haven't applied any materials up to this point. The only thing we have changed is the base colour of the mesh (Fig.22).

Fig. 22

Don't forget that you can go into Custom Colors and get real specific on your colour choices.

Alright, let me show you another way to make an array without using the array tool.

15. Make a copy of our biggest cylinder at the moment (the one in the very centre of the whole object) and lower the radius to 1. I moved it away from the object because we need to do more with it (Fig.23).

(ID: 168777, pid: 0) Neylian on Mon, 26 November 2012 12:33am Thank! I just started with 3d max and was looking step by step tutorial for beginners! Helped me a lot to learn and master more fundamental skills of modeling!
Thank u 1000000 infinite times! :D